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Original poster

Improving veins for donating blood

59 replies

MrsMarrio · 22/02/2021 19:10

Booked my first blood donation for today, drank plenty, got there and when it came to the vein check the only vein they could find is only good enough for blood samples apparently. Was told it was common among young women (I’m 28) and veins can change so try again in 2 years if it is something I’d still like to do. I’ve had blood samples taken regularly over the last 2.5 years and phlebotomists always have a little moan about me not having great veins so I know in over 2 years my veins haven’t changed so is there anything I can actually do to improve my chances of donating?

OP posts:

Significantown · 22/02/2021 19:50

Its possible its something to do with your genes rather than your age. The only time I have ever had big veins is when I was expecting.

Will they really refuse donations based on your vein size?

Spudina · 22/02/2021 19:56

Hi OP, no not really! Being well hydrated can help but you had already drank. Being warm can help so we sometimes put a heat pad on someone to get their veins to pop up. That’s about all I can think of at the minute. It’s a fairly big needle we use for taking a unit of blood. Some people just have difficult veins unfortunately. Thanks for trying though.

TankGirl97 · 22/02/2021 20:17

I have the same problem unfortunately. Drinking a lot of water does help but I've not found anything that really solves it. I remember as a teen, a doctor telling me that I'd be a terrible heroin addict!

Original poster

MrsMarrio · 22/02/2021 20:52

@Significantown, it wasn’t down to size it was more to the point that they were not going to try if they were not confident that I could fill a blood bag. Genetics does come into play, my mum comes out black and blue from any blood appointment, literally like getting blood from a stone. I’ve read that men are the better donors because they generally have the bigger veins, hence the fact my dad has donated blood many times and DH has just started.
@Spudina yeah I’d drank all day long! To the point were I thought I’d be desperate for a wee the whole time I was at the bloody appointment.
@TankGirl97 well I’m anti drug so at least big veins for heroin weren’t wasted on me!

Thanks for your replies everyone! I guess getting the blood donor card is something I’ll never get!

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DownWhichOfLate · 22/02/2021 21:19

Do you exercise? I find if I cycle to a blood test my veins are ridiculously large!

Original poster

MrsMarrio · 22/02/2021 21:24

@DownWhichOfLate not as much as I’d like since having my son in June! Funny enough I was going to go for a run today but read that you should be fully recovered before giving blood so I opted not too just in case I fainted

OP posts:

Zarinea · 22/02/2021 21:32

Same here - I've tried to donate a few times over the years but they can never find a vein big enough.

I'm O- so they really try!

Last time I went they told me to stop turning up as it was wasting their time!

They told me it might change during pregnancy (but when DD was born they really struggled to get a line into me in theatre, so I don't think it changed anything for me) ; or if I put on lots of weight which I'm obviously not planning to do.

I'd love to donate but I've realised it's not for me!

DownWhichOfLate · 22/02/2021 21:32

Oh, yes, fainting wouldn’t be great! But maybe try some exercise now the weather isn’t so terrible. Get the blood pumping

Original poster

MrsMarrio · 22/02/2021 21:49

@Zarinea such a shame isn’t it! I’m A+ so not as in need as O- but still 2nd most popular blood type.
I’m awkward to get blood out of but most phlebotomists do manage to get blood first time and then without fail mention that my vein is at a funny angle
The only time they’ve really struggled was when I was half dead with sepsis, severely dehydrated and they jabbed me like 50 with a needle all over my arms just to get a sample. Good job I don’t mind needles.
@DownWhichOfLate Think I may try again after I’ve got rid of some of the baby weight plus a bit extra and consistently running again then maybe my cardiovascular system has improved, failing that, just sulk for the rest of my life 🤣.

I was like a road map in my pregnancy with blue veins spidering their way across my arms but they all must have shrivelled back up

OP posts:

capercaillie · 22/02/2021 21:53

I had this when I was 19 - asked not to come back. Assume my veins haven’t changed as every blood test since turns me into a pin cushion.My veins are deep and then move when a needle goes near them. Last phlebotomist found me very frustrating!

Original poster

MrsMarrio · 22/02/2021 22:00

@capercaillie awful isn’t it, when they tried to get blood from me whilst I had sepsis and couldn’t get it, they’d huff at me! I remember saying “sorry, I swear I don’t do it on purpose!”

Although I didn’t get told not to come back but to come back in 2 years!

Maybe I should get into bodybuilding 🤣🤣

OP posts:

wandawombat · 22/02/2021 22:03

My DH is amazingly vascular. Can't see my veins at all, even when I was weightlifting & weren't as fat as I am currently...

DallyCrazy · 22/02/2021 22:06

I don't think there's much you can do. I'm a phlebotomist at work and some people just have tiny veins, veins which move or are really deep. The needles they use for blood donations are quite wide too so a super small vein is no good. Unfortunately it just might not be for you. At least you tried.

Original poster

MrsMarrio · 22/02/2021 22:09

@wandawombat my DH is the same, he gave blood no problem for the first time the other week...it’s currently making me want to punch him for just being able to do something that I can’t and want to

OP posts:

Itstime1 · 22/02/2021 22:10

I’m the same, first appointment years ago to donate and was told I would never be able to donate as they can’t find the veins! They travel around the arm in a way that means they can’t let me donate.

I always have trouble when getting bloods taken (at least 3 attempts in each arm and usually have to go back). I’m getting better as I’m getting older and outright tell them what they need to do their job (paediatric butterfly needle and patience as they will never get it first or second time) but do they listen first time? Take a guess

Best part? I’m terrified of needles too!

Some of us just like to cause issues for them and have difficult veins haha!

HoldontoOneMoreDay · 22/02/2021 22:11

Yeah the first time I had blood taken at the GPs was awful. I jokingly said to the nurse 'so I shouldn't give blood then' (mainly to distract from the pain) and she gave me a wee pat on the arm and said 'honestly lovie, I really woudn't...'

It never got any better for me and actually was a nightmare during and just after birth. I was black and blue.

GeidiPrimes · 22/02/2021 22:14

Building up a bit of muscle can apparently help some people to have better surface veins. (didn't work for me tho)

wandawombat · 22/02/2021 22:16

DH can't give blood as he's a fainter. Had some people be right grumpy about having to use a side-vein...i just point at the scarring now. 😁

TenThousandSteps · 22/02/2021 22:17

OP - I am well past middle-age now and I have terrible veins. I dread whenever anyone needs to take blood from me (I was a blood donor until I had to stop last year due to illness) or if a needle needs to go into me (eg CT scans or a hospital visit requires a canula). I now need 6-monthly CT scans and during the last one, the radiologist got it in within 5 seconds. 'How come you can do what others struggle to do?' I asked. 'Ah, I use an old fashioned tourniquet, not one of the rubber band things that we are told to use these days - you just cannot get them tight enough'. So now I know - the tourniquet needs to be much tighter and then the veins pop out.

BlackCatsRule88 · 22/02/2021 22:17

I feel your pain, I have difficult to find veins and a couple of times when I’ve tried to donate my iron levels have been just under the threshold. It’s frustrating as you just want to help!

lljkk · 22/02/2021 22:21

DH is scrawny gets a lot of aerobic exercise. The paramedic & blood letter types gush about his lovely accessible veins. I think it might be genetic, but you can try getting skinny & cycling 4 hours/day to see if that works for you, too.

Loopylobes · 22/02/2021 22:28

I was told not to come back too. No suggestion that I could do anything to change my veins.

Original poster

MrsMarrio · 22/02/2021 22:29

@Itstime1 god that sounds bloody awful! Yeah I’m deffo not that bad, usually one attempt occasionally two if it jumps out the way (I say ‘it’ as apparently I only have one vein in my entire body good enough to get blood out of) and I usually also tell them what arm and where the vein is too 😂
@HoldontoOneMoreDay sometimes I think some phlebotomists are more impatient than others and all of a sudden having difficult veins is the patients fault!

OP posts:

Significantown · 22/02/2021 22:31

I miss giving blood. I have teeny veins that try to hide, and the last time I donated, a nurse just shoved the needle in any old where. Leading to huge bruise.

Since then, I’ve been told my blood is potentially deadly due to the 80s blood disaster and I am not welcome to try again.

Original poster

MrsMarrio · 22/02/2021 22:38

@TenThousandSteps yes! I’ve had the rubber ties when I was pregnant and covid had all started as they were binning them rather than the elastic straps. The rubber did rip a few hairs out though. At the donation they did try with the pressure cuff too.
@lljkk apparently men’s veins are better! That’s why make donors are preferred, I’ll give it a pass on 4 hours of cycling a day, it’s giving me a sore arse just thinking about it.
@Loopylobes maybe they just didn’t want to outright disappoint me by telling me not to bother coming back

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